Page 135 of Protective Heroes

“She’s my professor.”

Haley’s eyes widened and she dropped her arm from his shoulders. “Wait—you’re not kidding, are you?”

He gave a single shake of his head.

“Isn’t that something she could go to jail for?”

He laughed. “I’m not underage, Haley.” He pinched her nose hard enough for her to wail. People looked around and laughed at their antics.

“I can see you’re hung up on her, Ellis. Maybe you’ll be next to put a ring on your finger.”

His lips quirked at the sound of his first name. Nobody ever called him Ellis in the military, not even Angelina. He loved hearing her screaming his name and wouldn’t want her to change it.

As for the ring...

He couldn’t let his mind touch down on that war zone. Having her was one thing, but marrying her scared the hell out of him. Especially when he didn’t know how he could expect a woman like her to sit around and wait for him. If his last girlfriend hadn’t and Angelina was the stuff of every man’s fantasies...

“Here she comes. Don’t even think about mentioning a ring, Squirrel.” His nickname for Haley had the right effect—she skittered away with a dirty look.

But as Ford watched Angelina walk toward him, his chest grew tight. Too easily he could picture this as her day, a special party thrown to celebrate their union.

Fuck, I’m in deeper than I thought.

Angelina smiled. “Your sister was harassing you, wasn’t she?”

They looked after Haley, who was now wrapped around her fiancé.

“Is it that obvious?”

“From the scowl, yeah.” She could easily step up and put her arms around him but she didn’t. In fact, since they’d arrived at his dad’s place, she hadn’t touched him when anyone was looking.

“Why don’t you do PDAs?” he blurted, feeling the scowl take over his face again.

“PDAs? Public displays of affection?”

“Yeah.”

She lifted one narrow shoulder and let it fall. “I guess my job keeps me from acting out of order at any time. It’s become habit.”

“But you’re not a professor here. You’re my guest. My date. My?—”

She seemed to know he was about to say “girlfriend.” Leaning closer but not touching, she said, “Ford...”

He held out his hand. “Prove that you don’t care about what people think or see.” He held out his hand, inviting her to place hers in it.

Her eyes darkened a shade, and she sank her teeth into her lower lip.

“You’re so buttoned up and live strictly by the rules. You’re more of stickler for rules than I am, baby.” He waggled his fingers.

She released her hold on her lip, and his cock stretched at the bead of wetness she left there. Still, she hesitated.

“Let go of the rules, baby. There’s nobody we know here to see you touch me. Don’t you want to touch me?”

She swayed closer. “Of course I do.”

“Here I’m not your student and the dean isn’t standing around the corner waiting to bust you.” He brushed his knuckles over the crest of her cheek, raising another blush in his wake. “Angelina.” He drew her name out on a long breath that sounded so sexual.

Her eyes hooded.

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